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Apprenticeship training has been praised recently for its effectiveness in easing school-to-work transition of non-college-bound students. In most countries with low youth unemployment there is some type of effective apprenticeship scheme in place. However, measuring effects of apprenticeship training relative to school-based VET on labour market outcomes has been a challenge.

The scholarship programme Stiftung für Begabtenförderung (foundation supporting the gifted and talented) for young vocational graduates was established over 20 years ago. Since then, around 96 000 young professionals in Germany have profited from support towards their professional qualifications.

In 2013, France received a country-specific recommendation on the need to conduct a broad set of reforms to improve functioning of its labour market and to develop lifelong learning further. France has made some progress in addressing this recommendation and adopted in March 2014 a law on vocational education and lifelong learning.

A Cedefop delegation headed by Director James Calleja took part in a knowledge-sharing seminar with the European Training Foundation (ETF), Cedefop's sister agency, in Turin on 13 February. Apprenticeships, validation and the next stage for European tools were on the agenda.

European Union Member States and social partners have benefited from Cedefop’s work throughout its 40-year history, Director James Calleja told guests at an event (at Cedefop premises on 10 February) marking 40 years from the Founding Regulation which established the agency.

Be a part of Cedefop’s 40th anniversary! Have you been in vocational education and training in Europe? Has it helped you find a job? Share your story for a chance to be invited to Cedefop’s anniversary conference in June in Thessaloniki (flights and accommodation paid by Cedefop) and to feature on our website and magazine Skillset and match.

Vocational education and training (VET) reform is opening up new routes for people into employment and for enterprises to develop the skills of their workforce to compete. However, reform still has some way to go for VET to meet 21st century expectations. But progress is being made, argues Cedefop Director James Calleja on the occasion of the European agency’s 40th anniversary.

Vocational education and training (VET) in Sweden may be organised as school-based learning or apprenticeship. The Swedish government has recently launched measures to ensure quality in apprenticeship education. Now numbers of apprentices in Swedish upper secondary schools are slowly rising.

Higher vocational education (HVE) is post-secondary education that combines theoretical and practical studies in cooperation with employers and industry. Programmes are offered in specific fields where there is explicit demand for competence. Every year the Swedish National Agency for HVE publishes statistics on their programmes, students and students’ work situations one year after graduation. Following are the figures for 2013.

In June 2014, the county authority of Østfold, with support from the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, organised Østfold’s largest job interview. The event gathered 200 vocational education and training (VET) students and 100 representatives from enterprises in the county. In two days about 570 job interviews were conducted between students and enterprises.

A research study, conducted by the Slovenian Institute of Vocational Education and Training (CPI) monitors where young people six years after enrolling in vocational and technical upper secondary programmes are and which factors triggered their paths.

In response to adverse effects of the economic crisis on the labour market, the Human Resource Development Authority (HRDA) of Cyprus set up a special prevention scheme, which includes measures targeted at the unemployed, economically inactive and employed.

Have you been in vocational education and training in Europe? Has it helped you find a job? Share your story for a chance to be invited to Cedefop’s anniversary conference in June in Thessaloniki (flights and accommodation paid by Cedefop) and to feature on our website and magazine Skillset and match.

Vocational education and training (VET) has found its way into the European Union (EU) Presidency priorities once again. The Latvian EU Presidency stresses in its programme that it ‘will continue working on enhanced cooperation in vocational education and training, having regard to both previous achievements and current and future challenges.’

The challenges of the 21st century require new approaches to learning for work. Vocational education and training (VET) in Europe is evolving, but we need a clearer vision of what modern VET systems should look like. This was the central message of Cedefop Director James Calleja’s presentation to the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Committee, in Brussels on 29 January.

The international computer and information literacy study (ICILS) examines outcomes of student computer and information literacy (CIL) across countries. CIL refers to an individual's ability to use computers to investigate, create, and communicate to participate effectively at home, at school, in the workplace, and in the community.